Can someone recommend a good battery load tester ? Seems like all the new crap being sold today has Alligator Clamps that are too small to fit over our types of batteries with the cables attached to the terminals. Unfortunately I lent mine to a friend and it reportedly grew legs. I’m more than willing to buy a good used one on EBay if you can steer me in the right direction. Thanks.

 

I have an old Schumacher BT453, I see they are still using the big heavy clamps still on them.
https://www.summitracing.com/parts/c...RoC4QYQAvD_BwE

Pat

 

Yeah, it's called a NEW BATTERY. Just like everything else on the quality down slide, there are very few "good" batteries being produced. You're not going to find one that the OEM engineers designed; you're stuck with the same junk as the rest of us.
That being said, I have had very good luck with CTEK battery chargers. The one i bought even has a "restore"/ desulphurization cycle.

 

The big carbon pile tester at Harbor Freight is a good setup. I don't particularly trust the small ones as there's no way for them to really put a load on the battery. The carbon pile ones burn off the collected dust every time you use them, so you know it works!
Oh, silly me, they don't sell it anymore.

 

I have an ancient Milton battery load tester that looks like this. I got it at auction. Works great.

 

And you can cook grilled cheese sandwiches while you load test your battery.

 

Just be sure to hold it by the insulated handle.

 

Here's a generic example of what I've got:
https://a.co/d/7GkViQc

 

I THINK I still have one I won as a door prize at a car show in 05.

 

The style Joe has pictured is similar to the one I had. I remember the first time I used it - without reading the directions. The unit started to smoke - I panicked and ripped the cables off. Second time I forgot to hold it by the insulated handle - lesson learned. Smoke, red coils, heat - great unit.

 

I have both the small toaster oven voltmeter type and a carbon pile with an ammeter and volt meter. The variable load carbon pile type is much better.

 

X2.... I'm with Joe.... I have this same unit, works great....

 

Wow, I got a smoking deal on this machine!!!


I bought this load tester and big Snap On battery charger probably 20 years ago. I paid 500 bucks for the pair.

it definitely gets hot testing the big batteries in my truck. If you don’t use it daily, dust and dirt settles on the carbon pile. It stinks when that crud burns off.

 

The carbon pile tester can test batteries, but also be used to test alternator output under variable load, and starter amp draw. You can't do that with the toaster oven tester. The little toaster oven testers are good for a quick battery test, but be sure to read the directions or you will be replacing batteries when they are good.